POLITICS HEATED UPWITH THE THREAT OF BOYCOTT

POLITICS HEATED UPWITH THE THREAT OF BOYCOTT

26-JULY-ENG 2

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

PATNA---------------------The political battlefield of Bihar has heated up completely before the 2025 assembly elections. The opposition, especially the Tejashwi Yadav-led Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress, have even threatened to boycott the elections, alleging an alleged 'mega-scam' in the voter list. Questions are being raised: Is this really a fight to save democracy or a cunning move on the electoral chessboard, in which the tune of 'grapes are sour' is being played even before the sound of 'defeat'?

The opposition directly alleges that the Election Commission is working at the behest of the ruling party and the names of lakhs of eligible voters are being 'disappeared' from the voter list. Tejashwi Yadav has raised the political temperature by claiming that 55 lakh people have been declared 'absent at the address'. They say that a conspiracy is being hatched to remove 3-4 thousand names from every booth. Moreover, the documents that are being demanded are not even available with the common man! The issue of migrant voters of Bihar is also being raised, whose names can be deleted in their absence.

The ruling party, i.e. JDU and BJP, is calling it 'panic' and fear of 'possible defeat'. They say that the opposition knows that their plans are not going to work, so this drama of 'boycott' is being done in the name of democracy.

If the opposition really boycotts the election, then it will be a direct attack on the participation of the people in democracy. Is this a part of the old strategy of the Lalu family, where sympathy is garnered by creating a narrative of the election being 'fixed'?

By threatening boycott, the opposition wants to put tremendous pressure on the government and the Election Commission so that the voter list can be improved. But can't this move backfire?

If there is a large-scale boycott, voters may get confused and the voting percentage may also be badly affected. Will the opposition keep its own voters away from the polling booth?

Some political analysts are also considering this as a 'defense strategy' of the opposition. If the election results do not come in favor of the opposition, they can already cry foul of 'rigging' and 'illegality'.

If this move works, the Bihar elections will make headlines in the country and the world. Questions will be raised on the impartiality of the Election Commission of India and the image of the country's largest democracy.

Tejashwi Yadav has just said that he will take opinion from 'alliance partners and the public', that is, the 'ball' is still in his court. Congress has also announced support. Before the 2025 assembly elections, this 'boycott issue' has taken a new twist in Bihar politics. Is this just a political stunt or is the seriousness of 'democracy in danger' really there? Time will tell, but it is certain that the next few months will witness some very spicy upheaval in Bihar politics!